African American Female Athletes

The challenges that African American women face as African American athletes is that they have more trouble competing in sports because some people think that women athletes are not as exciting as the men. The African American women have to deal with their sexuality issues and racism that come from people online and in person and it is very scary having people yelling hateful words at you.

Respect and Recognition

Also, They aren’t treated with respect that much and some people don’t think that women are female athletes because they did not draw a lot of attention during games and events in their sports. Some people think that the games are dominated males and draw the most attention with crowds during events and games. Today, African American women athletes want gender equity because they want to be treated the same as people treat the male athletes in their sports. Sometimes the women can be made fun of their sexuality and the way that look like WNBA star Brittney Griner and was made fun of because of how tall she was and that she did not look like other females. She didn’t listen to what people were saying about her and starting playing basketball where she felt accepted by people and her teammates. She overcome adversity to become one of the best WNBA basketball players there are today. Even an NBA player owner named Mark Cuban praised her that she was good enough or even better that she would be able to compete with the males in the NBA. The African American female athletes can be just as good or even better than their Male athletes.

Excitement in Women’s Sports

They can also have exciting and fun games and events that can have the same excitement as the males. People think they are more vulnerable to sexual assault and sexual harassment by coaches and fans that can cause an major impact for the females. Famous African American female athletes who struggled and fought through the adversity in their sport like Alice Coachman, Althea Gibson, Wilma Rudolph and Lynette Woodard have helped change the sports environment for future young African American females. An African American women athlete that is changing the world for African American women in sports is Serena Williams and Venus Williams who have both had to overcome adversity to become the best Tennis players in their sport over the years. They are both role models for the African American women community and show anything you do can be accomplished if you work hard enough for it.

Pioneers of Change

Years and years ago in the 1950's an African American women named Althea Gibson was the first black player to play in a Tennis tournament and to win a major title. she broke down the barriers for male and female African American athletes to compete in Tennis and other sports.

Althea Gibson’s Legacy

Althea Gibson is one of the best tennis players to ever play the game and changed the game for all African American's man and women in sports. Some of the challenges that the women face in their sports have to be become more aware in the world in media and throughout communities by telling people to show women athletes the respect they deserve. The train just as hard or even harder than male athletes do and it’s time for people to show them the recognition that they deserve and also the respect.

A Vision for Future

In the future I would like to see fans packing the area’s and events for African American women sports just as they do for the men.